1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to tractor-trailer brake circuits, and more particularly to a redundant electrical brake circuit.
2. Background of the Invention
Brake systems for tractor-trailers and similar vehicles are well known in the art. Many of these systems are connected to indicator lights that inform a driver that circuit integrity is maintained. Brake systems can fail for a number of reasons including corrosion of connection pins, damage to connection pins, and broken wires. Safety problems arise when a brake system fails as accidents leading to serious injury can result. These accidents can lead to potential liability for personal injuries, as well as subsequent OSHA investigations and costly litigation.
A problem with present brake systems is that there is no means for maintaining the integrity of the system in the event of failure. When a system fails, a driver must stop, without the benefit of working brakes, and repair the system immediately, losing valuable time on the road.
Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a parallel electrical circuit path to maintain circuit integrity in the event of failure of one circuit.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a driver with notification that a circuit is in need of repair.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a brake circuit that improves safety.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a brake circuit that is easy to assemble and economical to manufacture.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent with reference to the accompanying specification and claims.
The present invention involves a tractor-trailer brake circuit that includes parallel electrical paths extending from a brake controller, through connectors, to the trailer brakes. In each of the parallel electrical paths, current is supplied to the circuit from a power supply when the brake is applied. Electricity flows from the power supply through the connector to the trailer brakes. Each electrical path also has a return path where electricity flows back through the connector to an indicator light that shows that integrity of the circuit is maintained. When the current flow is interrupted in either electrical path, the indicator light for that electrical path will not glow when the brakes are applied. The driver can then report the failure of one of the electrical paths at the end of a shift and fix the damage circuit during a down period, thus the integrity of the system is never compromised during operation.